OCEAN COUNTY LONG-TERM COMMUNITY RECOVERY PLAN

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1 OCEAN COUNTY LONG-TERM COMMUNITY RECOVERY PLAN FEBRUARY 10, 2015 Prepared for: Prepared by:

2 The work that provided the basis for this report was supported by funding under an award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development with additional funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The substance and findings of the work are dedicated to the public. The authors of the report are solely responsible for the accuracy of the data, statements and interpretations contained in this document. Such statements and interpretations do not necessarily reflect the views of the Together North Jersey Steering Committee or its individual members or any other agency or instrumentality of Government. Cover photos and credits, clockwise from top left: Blue Water Cafe in Beach Haven (Sharon Karr/FEMA); Mantoloking Sandy Damage (Shutterstock); Cattus Island County Park (Jim Lukach via Flickr under Creative Commons License); Beach Umbrellas (Ocean County Department of Planning); Long Beach Island Power Restoration Efforts (Shutterstock)

3 I. Executive Summary Superstorm Sandy inundated Ocean County with storm surges and flood waters, leaving widespread destruction to homes, businesses, infrastructure, and the natural landscape at the end of October In the aftermath of the disaster, government, non-profit organizations, residents and local businesses have bonded together to respond to and recover from the storm. Ocean County received funding through a Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) via a Local Government Capacity Grant from Together North Jersey, a consortium of Rutgers Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), and others to develop a longterm community recovery (LTCR) plan to solidify their efforts and chart a course for the community to move beyond the storm. Ocean County is vulnerable to future storms and subsequent flooding and other complications due to its geographic location. In addition, Ocean County s population increases to approximately one million during the summer months. These short-term residents live in Ocean County during the time of highest hurricane and coastal flooding risk and may have a limited knowledge of emergency preparedness and response activities. Even outside of hurricane season, other risks present in the county may spur a need for special assistance for residents and visitors alike during a disaster. The National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) informed the planning process for the LTCR by establishing six recovery support functions aimed at restoration and revitalization. These functions and the icons used to identify them throughout the plan are as follows: Community Planning and Capacity Building Economic Recovery Health and Social Services Housing Infrastructure Systems Natural and Cultural Resources EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 3

4 Municipal and County representatives and key community stakeholders gathered together to brainstorm and formulate a recovery vision in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. The major themes of this visioning process, shown in Figure 1, centered around the idea that Ocean County is a community that is More than the Shore. The County s long-term community recovery vision is to build a yearround community that is environmentally, economically, socially, and culturally stronger. The county will work to build a community that is sustainable, provides a good home for residents, and offers a unique destination for outsiders to visit. Figure 1: Recovery themes for the LTCR Plan The same group reviewed the recovery landscape thus far, acknowledging the programs and projects currently underway that address one or more of the six recovery areas. Next, they identified unmet needs that remain throughout the county. An analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats was conducted to better inform and reveal outstanding needs. Amongst its strengths, Ocean County already has strong partnerships amongst municipalities and with non-profit and advocacy groups; it has an established and definitive sense of place, and a strong social infrastructure. Opportunities exist for the county due to the national attention they have attracted following the storm, the high-level recognition and focus on recovery at a national level, and the chance to rebuild smarter in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency s (FEMA) recently updated floodplain maps. 4 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

5 The crux of the municipal and stakeholder collaboration was to develop potential project ideas that will help the county realize its vision for recovery. Projects were proposed in earlier meetings then later prioritized and evaluated using criteria that address sustainability, feasibility, and pertinence to the needs of the community. Recovery values were determined to be low, moderate, or high; the final project list includes 15 projects ranked low to high along with those that were identified as priorities by the county and key stakeholders. Several projects were identified during the process as important but not necessarily as paramount to recovery and were thus categorized as community value projects, and are included in the appendix of the plan. A funding strategy was developed to link applicable grant programs and funding streams with each of the six recovery support functions as well as with each individual project. Funding sources originate from federal, state, local, and non-profit agencies and organizations and vary greatly in scope and potential. The Ocean County LTCR Plan is a recovery step focused on implementing projects and securing additional resources to make a more resilient community. The plan hopes to help Ocean County bounce forward after the storm in a way that improves daily life and lessens the impact for future storms by becoming a home community that is economically secure, a sustainable community that works in union with the natural environment, and a destination community that is truly more than the shore. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 5

6 II. Acknowledgements The Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan would not have been possible without the assistance and dedication of the following Steering Committee members: Anthony Agliata, Ocean County Planning Department Lisa Auermuller, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Resource Center Christine Bell, Ocean County Planning Department Mike Conaboy, Michael Baker Jr., Inc. Karl Hartkopf, New Jersey Department of State Office of Planning Advocacy Dan Kennedy, New Jersey Department of State Office of Planning Advocacy Sarah Bowen, Michael Baker Jr., Inc. Christine Caggiano, Michael Baker Jr., Inc. Eve Chamberlain, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority David McKeon, Ocean County Planning Department Kate Raman, New Jersey Department of State Office of Planning Advocacy 6 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

7 Section One Introduction

8 1. Introduction 1.1 What is a Long-Term Community Recovery Plan? Long-term community recovery (LTCR) is the process by which communities impacted by major disasters re-establish a healthy, functioning community that will sustain itself over time. This facet of the rebuilding process requires communities to look holistically at themselves and develop a set of projects that will not only support recovery from a disaster, but also make a more resilient community for the future. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), LTCR is a locally focused process that helps: Articulate a post-disaster community vision; Identify disaster-related projects to achieve the vision; Identify opportunities that become possible through recovery; and Facilitate partnerships to coordinate and optimize resources (LTCR Toolbox, 2012). LTCR falls under the National Response Framework s (NRF) National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF). The NDRF coordinates the deployment of federal resources for local, long-term recovery efforts and seeks to reduce or eliminate risks. The cornerstones of LTCR are holistic community recovery, freedom and empowerment of local communities, and an incorporation of the mitigation approach, which encourages the prevention of damages before they even occur. For Ocean County, the LTCR Plan comes at a crucial time. Superstorm Sandy made landfall in Ocean County in October The devastation seen throughout the New Jersey New York Connecticut region was so great that recovery is ongoing. In the year after the storm, each community submitted Letters of Intent to begin rebuilding, and Ocean County completed an After Action Report to identify strengths and improvement areas related to disaster response and recovery. All municipalities also went through the hazard mitigation planning process in following Sandy, resulting in a FEMA-approved plan on May 13, These planning processes and continued recovery efforts filled the first year after the storm. The LTCR planning process has provided an opportunity to Figure 2: Superstorm Sandy Planning Timeline 8 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

9 survey the landscape of existing recovery programs and initiatives and truly tailor a strategy that meets the needs and addresses the gaps seen in Ocean County s recovery from Superstorm Sandy. The LTCR Plan serves as an opportunity to step back and understand not only how to bounce back from Superstorm Sandy, but how to bounce forward as a stronger, more unified community. The most important aspect of this LTCR Plan is that it is designed as an actionoriented document grounded in Ocean County s vision of itself as a more resilient community. It is intended to be a road map to long-term recovery with a menu of projects that contribute to recovery. Ocean County s LTCR Plan is organized into six sections: 1. This Introduction to Recovery Planning, Ocean County, and Superstorm Sandy; 2. An Overview of Ocean County s LTCR Plan; 3. The Recovery Needs Assessment; 4. The Recovery Strategy; 5. Next Steps; and 6. Appendices. 1.2 Ocean County Context Location and Geography Ocean County is the second largest county in New Jersey by land area at approximately 630 square miles. Strategically located approximately 60 miles south of New York and 50 miles east of Philadelphia, it is bordered by Monmouth, Burlington, and Atlantic counties, and the Atlantic Ocean. While its proximity to New York and Philadelphia has had a significant impact on land use and development patterns, Ocean County has its own iconic identity as being the center of the Jersey Shore. The geography and environment of Ocean County has lent itself to vulnerabilities related to coastal storm events like hurricanes, tropical storms, and nor easters and will continue to do so. Ocean County has 45 miles of open coastline and is largely flat; over 75% of the land area of Ocean County is 150 feet or less above sea level (Ocean County HMP, 2014). Natural areas like the Pinelands, Island Beach State Park, Barnegat Bay and a number of state forests are examples of the importance of the natural environment in Ocean County. At the same time, Ocean County is a growing community; before Superstorm Sandy, Ocean County led all of New Jersey for the total number of residential housing units authorized since 1997 (NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development, 2012). Ocean County Regional Context 45 miles of open coastline 241 square miles of protected open space 12.7% population growth INTRODUCTION 9

10 Population and Communities of Concern As reported in the 2012 American Community Survey, Ocean County is home to 575,691 individuals living in 222,970 households. From , the population grew by 12.7%, significantly outpacing New Jersey s ten-year growth rate of 4.5%. Ocean County has a high concentration of persons over the age of 65, and nearly a third of the population is over the age of 60 ( American Community Survey 5-year Estimates). This age distribution has implications for recovery, as this segment of the population is frequently on a fixed income and may have a variety of mobility challenges. In addition, according to the Ocean County Department of Planning estimates, Ocean County experiences seasonal population growth to approximately one million (S. Simone, personal communication, June 9, 2014). Brick Township As a part of the Regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment required during the development of a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development, under which this plan is funded, Together North Jersey (TNJ) has identified a number of Communities of Concern, or locations in the TNJ region that are home to high concentrations of traditionally disadvantaged populations. The Communities of Concern indicators for the entire TNJ region include: Minorities Households in poverty Female-headed households with children Populations with limited English proficiency Zero-car households, and Populations over the age of 75 (TNJ, 2013). TNJ-identified Communities of Concern in Ocean County at the Census block group level. Being designated as a Community of Concern means that, at the Census block group level, the community equals or exceeds the TNJ regional threshold for minority population OR households in poverty OR two or more of the other aforementioned indicators of disadvantage. Based on TNJ s methodology, 35.4% of the population of Ocean County lives in a Census block group that meets the criteria of a Community of Concern. Of the block groups that meet the criteria for Communities of Concern, 30.5% of households are renters ( American Community Survey 5-year Estimates). Countywide, approximately 40% of rental households reside in multifamily buildings; while this information is not broken down to the block group level, it does provide an overall understanding of housing stock available. Geographically these block groups are concentrated in northern Ocean County, especially Manchester, Berkeley, and Lakewood Townships. Notably, four of the barrier island communities have block groups identified as Communities of Concern. Looking at the characteristics of Communities of Concern in Ocean County, the indicators of disadvantage where Ocean County stands out are households in poverty, the elderly, and zero-car households (TNJ, 2013). The LTCR Plan actions are designed to promote recovery for all residents. 10 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

11 Economy, Workforce, and Housing Ocean County s economy is dominated by the healthcare and social assistance, retail trade, accommodation and food services, and educational services sectors. Together these four industries account for over of 60% all jobs in Ocean County. It should be noted that tourism, while not its own industry in the North American Industry Classification System defined by the US Department of Labor, incorporates elements of the retail trade, accommodation and food services, and transportation industries (US Department of Labor, 2014); tourism drives Ocean County s economy. According to FEMA s long-term recovery assessment tool, this suggests an overall lack of economic diversity in Ocean County. The New Jersey Department of Labor s Industry projects that healthcare and social assistance and educational services will experience the largest growth in jobs from with each sector growing over 2% annually (NJ Dept. of Labor and Industry, 2012). Spatially, employment is concentrated in the northern portion of the county in Toms River and Lakewood Townships along with the Route 9 Corridor. There is also a strong retail presence in the barrier island communities. Commuting patterns indicate that, as of 2011, Ocean County has a fairly strong population base that both live and work in-county (44% of all workers), and over 15% of all workers living in Ocean County are commuting to either Toms River or Lakewood (OnTheMap, 2011). This is in keeping with the median commute time for Ocean County residents of 31 minutes. Other top commute destinations include Newark, New Jersey and New York City (OnTheMap, 2011). The unemployment in Ocean County was 8.3% in 2013, compared to New Jersey s overall unemployment rate of 8.2% (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014). Ocean County s unemployment rate has, for the most part, been higher than New Jersey s for much of the recent recession. Just over 10% of all persons are living below the poverty level. In addition, on many key metrics of economic well-being (median household income, home value, persons living below the poverty level, etc.), Ocean County falls below the New Jersey average although population and median household income have grown ( American Community Survey 5-year Estimates). Seaside Heights Boardwalk Photo Credit: Kevin Jarrett via Flickr under Creative Commons License When looking at Census housing indicators, Ocean County is largely a home ownership community, with a home ownership rate of 82%. Census 2012 American Community Survey data indicates that housing tenure is also steady, with 91% of residents living in the same house for over one year. Recent home sales data from the Zillow Real Estate Network indicates that the median sale price of homes is slowly rebounding from a post-sandy low of $193,000 to $215,000 in March However Ocean County residents dependent on rental housing face significant burdens. According to the US Census Bureau, a household is considered cost-burdened if it spends over 30% of its household income on rent. In Ocean County, over 66% of all renters fall into this category. The median rent is $1,550, and 18% of all housing units are rental units. Rental units can be further constrained, thus making situations like renting with pets or renting near shore summer service jobs difficult. Ocean County is also a community with a large number of vacant second homes for which no postdisaster federal aid is available. This snapshot of Ocean County was guided by FEMA s LTCR Assessment Tool, which helps communities understand their baseline statistics and how the data connects to long-term community recovery. The facts and figures, evaluated as a whole, played a vital role in the identification of opportunities and constraints for recovery discussed in Section 3 and helped to focus efforts on the aspects of INTRODUCTION 11

12 community planning, housing, the economy, social services, natural and cultural resources, and infrastructure that needed the most support in recovery. 1.3 Superstorm Sandy in Ocean County Major and severe home damage by Census tract (NJ DCA, 2013) Superstorm Sandy began as a hurricane in the southwestern Caribbean Sea on October 24, The storm made initial landfall in Jamaica and Cuba as a Category-2 storm the following day, then tracked northward along Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. The storm then turned north-northwest combined with a complex low pressure system on October 28th and 29th, creating Superstorm Sandy. It was this merged weather system that caused heavy rain, wind, and flooding along the Eastern Seaboard as well as significant inland snowfall. Superstorm Sandy made landfall for the second time in Atlantic County near Brigantine on October 29th. While not a hurricane when it made landfall, the storm still had sustained winds of 80 miles per hour and coincided with a full moon tide, pushing an unprecedented amount of water ashore. These factors, combined with the sheer size of the storm, prompted catastrophic storm surge and flooding throughout New Jersey and New York. Ocean County saw storm inundations of 3-5 feet above ground level along the coast (Blake et al, 2013). President Obama issued a Presidential Declaration of Major Disaster and Presidential Emergency Declaration on October 30, 2012 as Ocean County experienced widespread flooding, power outages, road obstructions, and search and rescue operations. Bay front flooding also caused significant damages throughout South Jersey. FEMA damage assessments indicated that almost a third of all Census tracts in Ocean County experienced at least some residential storm damage. By storm s end, 10% of Ocean County households would experience major or severe damage (22,240), the most of any county in New Jersey and double the number of damaged homes of the next-ranked county. There were four fatalities and an estimated $10 billion in coastal flood damages. According to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Superstorm Sandy Disaster Recovery Action Plan, Ocean County s coastal communities were particularly hard-hit; for example, in Lavallette, Little Egg Harbor, and portions of Brick, Long Beach, and Toms River townships, over 75% of all households experienced major or severe damage (NJ Dept. of Community Affairs, 2013). In addition, the Recovery Action Plan cites widespread damage to public transportation and utility infrastructure as a major impact of Superstorm Sandy both in Ocean County and throughout New Jersey. Brick Township A year and a half later, many dwellings still have serious damage. Business interruption, damage to infrastructure, natural systems disruption, and social services challenges persist. 12 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

13 Section Two Overview of the Plan

14 2. Overview of the Long-Term Community Recovery Plan 2.1 Community Recovery Vision Ocean County s stakeholders and municipalities provided input to develop an overall community recovery vision in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. This vision incorporates key themes identified over the course of the planning process. The long-term recovery vision is meant to help Ocean County move forward as a strong, united community. Ocean County s long-term recovery vision is to build a year-round community that is environmentally, economically, socially, and culturally stronger. Ocean County will be a: HOME COMMUNITY where residents are economically secure, and have access to suitable jobs and housing SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY that is resilient, proactive, seeks to protect and enhance its natural resources as a flood mitigation tool DESTINATION COMMUNITY that embraces visitors and invites them to discover that there s more to the shore Photo Credit: Alison Pavlos via Flickr under Creative Commons License 14 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan Photo Credit: Jim Lukach via Flickr under Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Ocean County Department of Planning

15 2.2 Recovery Planning Process The Ocean County LTCR Plan is funded by TNJ, an initiative funded in part through a Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and through a grant from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, which is allocating Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funding. The plan is a part of TNJ s Local Government Capacity Grant Program, which provides assistance to advance sustainable development and planning in the 13-county North Jersey region. Ocean County initiated the LTCR Plan as an essential step in beginning to implement the National Disaster Recovery Framework (NDRF) within the County in order to provide a road map to community recovery and also use the planning process to building a stronger future through partnerships and consensus-building. On December 11th, 2013, representatives from Ocean County s Department of Planning, TNJ, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, the New Jersey Department of State Office of Planning Advocacy, Rutgers-Bloustein, and Michael Baker Jr., met as a steering committee to begin the long-term community recovery planning process. The group created a vision for the county moving forward, developed goals, and identified projects aimed at achieving the longterm recovery vision. A draft LTCR Plan was disseminated for public comment in June A public involvement plan was established that focused on engaging key stakeholders in the community in the planning process. Members of the steering committee attended meetings and presented information about the longterm community recovery process to the Barnegat Bay Partnership Advisory Committee, the Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Systems Committee (CEAS), and the Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group (OC LTRG). Surveys were distributed at all meetings to obtain feedback about unmet needs and potential recovery project ideas. Outreach was also performed at a Community Rating System Application Process Technical Assistance Seminar given for municipalities at the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, at a Resiliency meeting led by FEMA at the Ocean County Office of Emergency Management, and at a contractor s meeting in Little Egg Harbor for builders working to elevate and renovate homes in the area. OVERVIEW OF THE PLAN 15

16 On February 24,2014 the steering committee met with key stakeholders during two-hour morning and afternoon sessions at the Ocean County Library in Toms River. In total, 25 people participated in the meetings. Additional meetings were held with stakeholders and municipal representatives in both the northern and southern portions of the county on March 6, Nearly 70 people attended the meetings. The goal of the meetings was to gather stakeholder input to formulate a long-term recovery vision, assess unmet needs, evaluate current recovery efforts, and to develop goals and projects for achieving recovery not only after Superstorm Sandy but in the event of future disasters as well. Group discussion was conducted and recorded throughout the meetings and individual comments were collected through post-it-notes. The committee developed a project website, through which meeting materials, meeting announcements, and an event calendar was shared with Ocean County stakeholders and municipal officials. Meetings with Stakeholders and Municipal Representatives Collected input from stakeholders Organized ideas into LTCR Strategy Final meetings were held on April 29 th, 2014 in the both the northern and southern portions of the county for stakeholders and municipal representatives to review LTCR Plan content and evaluate proposed recovery projects. Forty-five people attended the final meetings at the Ocean County Library and Stafford Municipal Complex. Attendees were asked to provide detailed project information including potential champions, funding sources and purpose. Stakeholders reviewed the criteria for ranking projects and how recovery value is defined and measured. The Draft LTCR Plan was finalized after incorporating feedback obtained during the public comment period and reviews by the Ocean County Department of Planning, NJTPA, Rutgers-Bloustein, and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. 16 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

17 Six Areas of Long-Term Recovery In 2011, the federal government established the National Preparedness Goal through five mission support areas: Prevention, Protection, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery. The recovery support area focused on restoring, strengthening, and revitalizing infrastructure, housing, and the economy while providing for the health, social, cultural, and environmental resources of communities impacted by a disaster. This national goal continues to lead long-term recovery efforts nationwide. Guided by the National Preparedness Goal, the Ocean County LTCR uses the following six areas of recovery to develop and evaluate recovery needs and the recovery strategy: COMMUNITY PLANNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING increases community recovery capacity and builds community planning resources needed to effectively plan for, manage, and implement disaster recovery activities. ECONOMIC RECOVERY support focuses on sustaining and/or rebuilding businesses, employment, and tourism along with the development of economic opportunities that result in sustainable and economically resilient communities. HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES support assists in the restoration of public health, health care, and social services networks to promote the resilience, health, and well-being of affected individuals and communities. HOUSING addresses post-disaster housing issues and coordinates the delivery of assistance resources activities to rehabilitate and reconstruct destroyed and damaged housing, when feasible, as well as the development of accessible temporary and permanent housing. INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS facilitates efforts by infrastructure owners to achieve recovery goals relating to public engineering of infrastructure systems. Infrastructure systems and services should be restored to support a viable, sustainable community and improve resilience to and protection from future hazards. NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES support addresses long-term environmental and cultural resource recovery needs. This includes the protection of natural and cultural resources and historic properties through response and recovery actions to preserve, conserve, rehabilitate, and restore them in a way consistent with community priorities and in compliance with applicable laws (FEMA, 2012). These icons will be used throughout the LTCR to show how the recovery strategy addresses each recovery area. OVERVIEW OF THE PLAN 17

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19 Section Three Recovery Needs Assessment

20 3. Recovery Needs Assessment 3.1 Recovery Landscape The recovery effort in Ocean County to date has spanned all six recovery areas and has helped tackle some of the most pressing problems facing the community in the wake of the storm. However, the recovery process is far from over and some community needs remain unmet. Issues and concerns that existed both preand post-sandy emerged throughout the LTCR planning process. An evaluation of the current recovery landscape in Ocean County reveals that there are more than 50 programs, agencies, funding streams, and organizations focused on achieving recovery in Ocean County. Table-1 lists primary recovery partner efforts and corresponding recovery areas. These partner efforts were collected through research and input from stakeholders at meetings. This list is not exhaustive and there are additional organizations that support recovery. Assessing current recovery in this way allows us to identify strengths and weaknesses in the recovery process. The efforts are spread fairly equally across all six recovery areas. The most concentrated efforts are focused on Health and Social Services and Housing. Infrastructure, on the other hand, has the fewest number of existing projects with 10. It is important to recognize the interconnections between these partner efforts. For example, there is a large amount of overlap between Housing and Health and Social Services recovery support area efforts, and more than half of the recovery efforts touch more than one recovery support area. Needs in the county persist across multiple recovery sectors, and include housing, economic diversification, and transportation expansion. These areas were repeatedly identified by stakeholders and still require significant focus and attention. Targeting these unmet needs will help to address the higher-thanstate average unemployment rate, to ease the rent-burdened population, to mobilize the zero car population, to complement tourism, and to move Ocean County towards its long-term community recovery vision. Local recovery efforts in Ocean County 20 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

21 Table-1: Primary Recovery Partner Efforts Recovery Support Areas Affordable Housing Alliance: Home Goods Replacement Assistance American Red Cross ArtHelps Barnegat Bay Partnership Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton Children's Home Society of New Jersey Church of the Brethren Disaster Ministries Community Disaster Loan Program Disaster Relief FEMA Environment NJ Federal Highway Administration funding FEMA Housing Assistance Flood Mitigation studies Fund for Restoration of Multifamily Housing (FRM) Fund for Restoration of Multifamily Housing Public Housing Authority Set-Aside Program (FRM-PHA) Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Green Acres Program Blue Acres Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMGP, PDM, FMA) Hometown Heroes Jacques Cousteau National Estaurine Research Reserve JCP&L equipment upgrades Lunch Break Inc. Marine Trades Association of NJ Recovery & Relief Fund Grants National Boating Infrastructure Grant (NBIG) program National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Competitive Grant Program National Flood Insurance Program (Local maps at FEMA Region II Coastal Analysis and Mapping) Neighborhood and Community Revitalization Program (EDA Program) RECOVERY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 21

22 Table-1: Primary Recovery Partner Efforts Recovery Support Areas New Jersey Community Capital: Rebuild New Jersey New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust New Jersey Future Local Recovery Planning Program in Tuckerton & Little Egg Harbor project with Rutgers University New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (HMFA) Sandy Special Needs Housing Fund (SSNHF) New Jersey s Clean Energy Program NJ DCA Homeowner Resettlement Program NJ DCA Post Sandy Planning Assistance Grants NJ DCA Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation Program (RREM) NJ Flood Mapper NJ Office of Emergency Management, State Police NJ Register Ready -Special Needs Registry for Disasters Ocean County Government Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group O.C.E.A.N., Inc. Port Light Strategies Project Restore HOPE Rebuild Our Shore Restore Our Shore Robin Hood Foundation Route 35 Reconstruction Project Samaritan s Purse Sandy Homeowners Renters Assistance Program (SHRAP) Sandy Special Needs Housing Fund Shells for NJ Shores Small Business Administration Storm Recovery Loan Program Stronger NJ Business Grants (EDA Program) Sustainable Jersey Small Grants Program USDA Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWP) 22 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

23 3.2 Opportunities and Constraints for Recovery The road to recovery is long, and recovery needs continue to evolve. The trends and analysis presented in the Recovery Landscape as well as stakeholder feedback revealed the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing Ocean County. STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES are internal factors that Ocean County has some ability to change, while OPPORTUNITIES and THREATS are more external factors or forces acting upon the county. By looking critically at these four items, Ocean County can capitalize on strengths and opportunities and mitigate the constraints posed by the weaknesses and threats. STRENGTHS Internal conditions Ocean County can build upon to make a stronger, more resilient community Ocean County is a place with an established SENSE OF COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY. People are proud of being from Ocean County and neighbors have a history of working together in good times and bad. This community pride has been important to both short- and long-term recovery. Volunteer participation is very high, and entities like the Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Group illustrate that Ocean County residents are committed to working together to restore their community. Throughout Ocean County, PARTNERSHIPS are an essential strength. Ocean County and its municipalities have been working not only across boundaries but also with private and non-profit partners working on sustainability, resilience, and recovery across New Jersey. Groups such as New Jersey Future, the Sustainable Jersey Resilience Network, the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, and the Barnegat Bay Partnership have and will continue to provide essential support for whole-community recovery. Perhaps the most important of Ocean County s strengths is its ICONIC SENSE OF PLACE. Ocean County is the embodiment of the Shore. With one-third of New Jersey s coastline and 17 coastal communities, Ocean County conjures images of sun, sand, and surf in close-knit communities. From the Barnegat Lighthouse to the Seaside Heights Boardwalk to Six Flags Great Adventure, people identify with the essence of Ocean County. Another aspect of this sense of place is the rich natural resources base in Ocean County. Barnegat Bay, Forsythe National Reserve, Island Beach State Park, and the Pinelands (among others) add value to the quality of life in Ocean County, as do conservation and open space preservation efforts. Photo Credit: FEMA Photo Credit: Michael Baker Jr. Photo Credit: Tony Fischer via Flicker under Creative Commons RECOVERY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 23

24 WEAKNESSES Internal conditions Ocean County needs to improve upon to become a stronger, more resilient Community While Ocean County s ECONOMIC DIVERSITY is improving, additional diversification from the tourism industry would be beneficial. The predominant industries in the county are retail trade, educational services, accommodation and food services, and healthcare and social assistance industries. While educational services and healthcare jobs have a variety of wage levels, retail trade and accommodation and food services jobs, which are key components of tourism, are often seasonal in Ocean County and do not provide benefits or are part-time. This may limit residents ability to return to their homes and communities after Superstorm Sandy. HOME RULE is not unique to Ocean County; all of New Jersey operates under home rule, meaning each municipality has the authority to set its own land development policies. With 33 different municipalities, the business of recovery is determined through policies, procedures, and guidelines that differ from town to town. This can add to the overall challenge of long-term recovery because it requires a greater degree of coordination to achieve a countywide vision. Home rule also means that many services are provided at the municipal level, and New Jersey s tax structure forces municipalities to rely extensively on local property taxes for revenue. This combination of responsibility for service provision and limited sources of revenue can create an ongoing fiscal incentive for municipalities to support rebuilding in high risk areas. Ocean County faces a HOUSING GAP. Housing costs are projected to continue to rise and, with the increasing costs of flood insurance, affordability will continue to present a roadblock to recovery. Photo Credit: FEMA / Liz Roll Photo Credit: Michael Baker Jr. Photo Credit: Ocean County Office of Emergency Management 24 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

25 Opportunities External conditions and trends Ocean County can capitalize on to succeed in its long-term recovery There are a number of post-superstorm Sandy opportunities available for Ocean County to pursue. First, the county received NATIONAL ATTENTION after Superstorm Sandy. This national attention has spurred conversations about smart development, sustainability, and resilience that will benefit not only Ocean County but coastal communities nationwide. Ocean County continues to make news headlines and can capture some of this attention to highlight the ongoing progress the county is making towards long-term recovery. FEMA s UPDATED FLOODPLAIN MAPPING process through Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (MAP) provides an opportunity for Ocean County to take control of growth and development and to rebuild according to the latest and best data. The structure of the Risk MAP process has provided a forum for Ocean County and its municipalities to educate themselves on their flood risk; this, coupled with the recently approved Hazard Mitigation Plan, also gives communities a chance to mitigate flood-related damages before they even occur. The updated floodplain mapping has renewed interest in the Community Ratings System, FEMA s voluntary incentive program that encourages floodplain management that exceeds the minimum National Flood Insurance Program requirements. However, while the updated mapping will increase overall resilience, it also presents serious short-term challenges for homeowners as they decide whether or not they can rebuild or raise their homes. These challenges must also be addressed during long-term community recovery. Finally, there is a NATIONAL RECOVERY INITIATIVE occurring at the highest level of government to plan for and provide assistance for recovery efforts. This is recognition at the national level that local communities be given leeway to steer their own recovery and reinvestment, and that recovery cannot only be a government-led activity. The national recovery initiative stresses the importance of the partnerships that Ocean County has in abundance, and it seeks the inclusion of government, residents, businesses, and institutions. Photo Credit: Newseum Archives Photo Credit: FEMA / Preliminary DFIRM Photo Credit: FEMA / Liz Roll RECOVERY NEEDS ASSESSMENT 25

26 Threats External conditions and trends Ocean County faces that may hinder long-term recovery Ongoing flooding RISK continues to be a threat to Ocean County, and it, like many communities, faces multiple potential hazards as identified in the 2014 Hazard Mitigation Plan. Superstorm Sandy exposed new and changing flood risk for many coastal communities, and the risk of flooding is unlikely to abate any time soon. Changes in the National Flood Insurance Program through the Biggert- Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 highlighted the fiscal impacts of changing flooding risk. Flooding and other natural and human-made disasters threaten lives, homes, businesses, natural resources, and the economy. The NATIONAL ECONOMIC CLIMATE continues to be the most significant threat to recovery. Unemployment, housing starts, infrastructure repair, and economic growth have been limited everywhere, but these factors can be especially dangerous for communities that need large investments in order to get back on their feet. RECOVERY FUNDING LIMITATIONS at the federal and state level apply to all communities impacted by Superstorm Sandy. There are time limitations on recovery funding, and there is simply not enough money to go around. The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs estimated an unmet housing funding gap of over $2.5 billion statewide in addition to serious funding gaps for businesses and infrastructure in the Superstorm Sandy CDBG Disaster Recovery Action Plan (NJ Dept. of State, 2013). Communities must become increasingly more creative in order to finance rebuilding and implement recovery initiatives. Photo Credit: Ocean County Office of Emergency Management Photo Credit: US News and World Report Photo Credit: Shutterstock 26 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

27 Section Four Recovery Strategy

28 4. Long-Term Community Recovery Strategy 4.1 Recovery Strategy and Recovery Value Summary The recovery strategy is a culmination of the needs, resources, opportunities, and partnerships identified and established through the LTCR planning process. The Ocean County recovery strategy has been tailored to meet the needs of the community and to bring the Ocean County vision to fruition and build a yearround community that is environmentally, economically, socially, and culturally stronger. From the initiation of LTCR planning process, unmet needs in Ocean County were a primary focus. To address these unmet needs, recovery project ideas were collected and discussed throughout the process. After developing a long-term community recovery vision, assessing current recovery efforts, and identifying recovery needs, all projects were evaluated to determine and assign Recovery Value. Recovery value is defined by FEMA as the designation assigned to a project that indicates its ability to help jump-start a community s recovery from a natural disaster (FEMA, 2005). Projects are given a high, medium, or low recovery value. A high recovery value project: Each project sheet uses the anchor, a symbol of hope and a nod to Ocean County s maritime legacy, to denote the recovery value. Three anchors denote high recovery value; two, moderate recovery value; one, low recovery value. Fills a post-disaster community need, Provides leverage and creates linkages for other projects and funding, Is related to physical damages from the disaster, 28 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan Encourages private investment, Has community support, Has access to necessary resources, Is achievable, feasible, and realistic, Averts future losses, Uses resources efficiently, and Creates a positive impact community-wide. A moderate recovery value project has a clear and positive impact on recovery but may have a limited scope, span, impact, or benefit; the project may not have community-wide significance or support. Low recovery value projects do not have a direct link to Superstorm Sandy, lack public support and/or impact a small subset of the community, and do not provide adequate benefits or have adequate resources. There is also a fourth category, community interest projects; these are projects that may be important to the community and have local support but either cannot be implemented in a time frame that will substantively affect recovery or do not have a clear association with disaster recovery. The criteria used to evaluate the recovery projects is included in Section 6.2 while community interest projects that came out of the Ocean County LTCR process can be found in Section 6.3. Calculating recovery value narrowed the focus of attention to only the most meaningful community recovery projects and helped eliminate projects that would be ineffective and/or inefficient. A total of 10 projects of high or moderate

29 recovery value are identified in Section 4.2. Projects address all six recovery areas and project implementation will help Ocean County reach its community recovery vision. In most cases, recovery value and project prioritization correlate (high value = high priority). Projects in which values and priorities differ are noted as such in each applicable project description. 4.2 Recovery Projects The following pages lay out Ocean County s LTCR projects. Detailed information has been collected and provided for each project including the project location, champion, cost, recovery value, and recovery area(s). Where possible, costs were tied back to hazard mitigation program letters of interest for individual projects. A description of the project purpose, scope, and recovery value is included with each project along with key action steps and potential resources (funding, technical, etc.). Taken together, these projects make up a strategic menu of activities that will help Ocean County achieve its long-term community recovery vision. Table 2 provides a snapshot of how the projects address each of the recovery support functions. Projects are listed in order of recovery value, with high recovery value projects listed first. Table 2: Recovery Projects Recovery Support Functions Compile Countywide Infrastructure Assessment Report Develop Grant Advisor Program Improve Resiliency of Residential Structures for All Income Groups Improve County Evacuation Plan Improve County Shelter Management Plan Protect and Restore Shorelines Develop a Risk-Preparedness Marketing Campaign Develop Countywide Tools to Support CRS Participation Develop an All-County Advertising Campaign Develop Water Taxi or Ferry System Community Planning and Capacity Building Housing Economic Recovery Infrastructure Systems Health and Social Services Natural and Cultural Resources RECOVERY STRATEGY 29

30 Compile Countywide Infrastructure Assessment Report Project Location: Countywide Project Champion(s): Ocean County Utilities Authority; New Jersey Natural Gas; JCP&L; NJ DOT; Atlantic City Electric; Verizon; Comcast Project Description As many utilities continue to recover from Superstorm Sandy, a commonly voiced recovery gap was that in many places, the full impact of the storm on utilities and infrastructure is not yet known. This project seeks to compile a countywide infrastructure assessment report to identify the condition of aging infrastructure, especially in areas with significant storm damage. This project will investigate water, electric, gas, and sewer lines as well as roadways, bridges, storm water drainage systems and will identify vulnerable systems and establish priority ranking for fixing or replacing existing infrastructure. This countywide assessment report will also aid in identifying the utility assets most at risk and best suited for mitigation projects such as the acquisition of generators, elevation of controls, floodproofing, emergency bypass, and other retrofits. In addition, the infrastructure assessment report will seek to identify opportunities for electric and other utilities to diversify and increase system reliability and reduce interruptions during hazard events with an emphasis on investing in sustainable and alternative energy sources. Description of Recovery Value Cost Estimate: Dependent on scope of surveying and analysis This project is a high recovery value. Superstorm Sandy was large enough that the full impact on utilities is not fully known. The project scores particularly highly because it encourages sustainability and meets an identified community need. Understanding the state of infrastructure across the county would enable the county and municipalities to identify projects, priorities projects and apply for funding to repair, replace and improve infrastructure. Action Steps Step 1: Identify scope of assessment. Recovery Value: Step 2: Identify resources to complete assessment in house or to fund analysis by contractors. Step 3: Complete assessment of current condition of infrastructure. Step 4: Identify projects, prioritize projects and apply for funding. Potential Resources New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust (NJEIT) - Funding USDA Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants - Funding Recovery Areas Supported: NJ DOT/Federal Highway Administration Local Aid Emergency Relief - Funding 30 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan Ocean County - Technical CDBG-DR Continuation and Enhancement of Essential Public Services - Funding Sustainable Jersey - Technical NJ BPU Clean Energy Resilience - Funding JCP&L/Resiliency - Funding FEMA HMGP - Funding Clean Ocean Action Municipal Blue Star Program - Technical

31 Develop Grant Advisor Program Project Description As indicated in Section 3 of the LTCR Plan, there are a plethora of post-disaster funding opportunities at the state and federal level, but each opportunity has its own eligibility and funding criterion. Developing a Grant Advisor Program will help Ocean County and its municipalities capitalize on available grant funding not only for themselves but also for citizens and businesses. The program will be focused on navigating the grant process and having a single point-ofcontact or small team of contacts who can build institutional knowledge around post-disaster grant making. This program is not meant to centralize grantwriting efforts; instead, the program is intended to create a small network of grants navigators that can help point interested departments, municipalities, businesses, and organizations in the right direction with some basic assistance. Key program elements include: Development of master list of grant opportunities catalogued by key program elements. Project Location: Countywide Project Champion(s): Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Group NJ Resiliency Network- Sustainable NJ Grant funding handbook that includes grant-writing best practices, grant-writing resources, and specific lessons learned from Superstorm Sandy. Training for grant advisors on major post-disaster grant programs (Community Development Block Grant, FEMA, and Small Business Administration). Outreach to municipalities, citizens, and businesses. Cost Estimate: Program could range in scope from $13,000 to $52,000 annually, based on resource availability Description of Recovery Value The Grant Advisor Program has a high recovery value. It addresses one of the central challenges of disaster recovery voiced throughout the LTCR planning process: recovery money is out there, but the process to obtain it is confusing to navigate. This project has broad-based support and will help advance the recovery of many different sectors of the community. Having knowledgeable grant advisors will help Ocean County better leverage available funding and will help bring communities back to normal more quickly after future disaster events. Recovery Value: Action Steps Step 1: Request state and/or federal support to develop grants handbook and associated training. Step 2: Solicit lessons learned from Ocean County communities for inclusion in program. Recovery Areas Supported: Step 3: Recruit and train grant advisors. Step 4: Advertise grant advisor assistance. Potential Resources New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Technical FEMA Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator Technical New Jersey Citizen Corps Volunteer RECOVERY STRATEGY 31

32 Project Location: Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) in Ocean County Encourage Resiliency of Residential Structures PROJECT DESCRIPTION for All Income Groups Resilient and safe housing should be available at all income levels in Ocean County. Improving the resiliency of housing and housing options will be accomplished through structure projects, as well as, programs and planning. Project Champion(s): Municipalities with support from the Ocean County Natural Land Trust Fund and the Ocean County Office of Emergency Management Cost Estimate: Outreach aspects of project could range in scope from $13,000 to $52,000 annually based on resource availability Based on projects currently identified in HMGP Letters of Intent in Ocean County: Acquisition: $80 million Elevation: $682 million There were no LOIs submitted for floodproofing multifamily/rental housing Recovery Value: Recovery Areas Supported: Structural solutions for residential structures include acquisition, elevation, dry or wet floodproofing, and relocating assets on higher floors. Acquiring and elevating homes in the floodplain are two common structural flood hazard mitigation solutions that reduce and/or eliminate loss during a flood event; these methods are most appropriate for detached and semi-detached structures. In the case of acquisition, development is prohibited and the land often then becomes green space. Elevation raises the structure above the floodplain allowing it to maintain the current residential use. While both methods can reduce losses, acquisition is the preferred solution since it permanently removes a structure from harm s way. In addition, FEMA studied 11,000 acquisition and elevation projects in the SFHA nationwide and determined that the average benefit, or losses prevented/reduced, was $276,000 for each acquisition and $175,000 for each elevation (FEMA, 2013). Multifamily housing units, which are often rental properties, are generally not a candidate for elevation and acquisition because they are larger structures; the LTCR Plan proposes exploring traditional dry or wet floodproofing, raising the elevation of mechanical equipment within structures, and vacating low elevation dwellings within multi-family structures to protect multifamily housing. Ocean County Planning, Ocean County Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Systems, and municipalities are involved in coordination, programs and planning that work to locate a variety of safe, resilient housing options in suitable locations. This project looks beyond structural solutions to incorporate the human dimension of long-term recovery. It is important that residents of all income levels understand their housing options. The County facilitates these linkages between low- and moderate-income households and housing opportunities including the Special Needs Housing Fund and Fund for the Restoration of Multifamily Housing. These methods all align with the long-term scope of this plan. They will prevent real losses and enable households of all income levels to return home sooner after a flood event. Mitigation also provides significant insurance savings for property owners and renters. Under this project, there will be improved coordination of acquisition projects to accommodate individual, isolated homeowners and smaller clusters of homes. In addition, this project will promote increased efforts to link property owners and developers to funding sources and loan programs to facilitate resiliency projects through the Ocean County Board of Realtors and Shore Builder s Association of Central NJ, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and New Jersey Housing Mortgage Finance Agency. 32 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan DESCRIPTION OF RECOVERY VALUE This project has a high recovery value as it focuses on creating more resilient housing for all household types and income levels. The project scores high in all three evaluation criteria categories. With a voluntary nature, it has broad-based community support and directly addresses the community recovery vision for Ocean County as a home community that protects people and enhances natural resources. This project will serve to reduce or avert future losses from hurricanes and flooding and has multiple known funding sources.

33 Encourage Resiliency of Residential Structures for All Income Groups (Continued) ACTION STEPS Step 1: Collaborate and conduct outreach on structural resiliency to developers through the Board of Realtors, Shore Builder s Association and/or the Sandy Recovery Division of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and New Jersey Housing Mortgage Finance Agency. Step 2: Continue to conduct outreach to low- and moderate- income households and other communities of concern on their housing options through both postdisaster recovery initiatives and the traditional County Consolidated Plan and Action Plan. Step 3: Identify repetitive loss and potential home clusters that would benefit from elevation, acquisition, and/or floodproofing. Identify new and/or vacant lots that might be appropriate for new, resilient, housing accessible to low- and moderate- income households. Step 4: Conduct cost-benefit analyses on target areas. Step 5: Prepare grant(s) application. Step 6: Implement structural mitigation projects and new, resilient housing accessible to low- and moderate- income households. POTENTIAL RESOURCES CDBG-DR Funding (fair housing focus) Fund for the Restoration of Multifamily Housing Funding (fair housing focus) Sandy Special Needs Housing Fund Funding (fair housing focus) NRCS-USDA Funding (acquisition) NJDEP Blue Acres Funding (acquisition) FEMA HMGP and FMA Funding (acquisition and elevation) Ocean County Board of Realtors and Shore Builders Association Outreach and Education Ocean County Comprehensive Emergency Assistance Systems (CEAS) Outreach and Education Ocean County Planning Department - Outreach and Education RECOVERY STRATEGY 33

34 Improve County Evacuation Plan Project Location: Countywide Project Champion(s): Ocean County Office of Emergency Management; Ocean County Human Services; Ocean County Health Department; Ocean County EMS Coordinator; County Animal Response Team (CART) Cost Estimate: $40,000 to $100,000, dependent on scope for a combination of a consultant and/or staff time Project Description The issue of evacuation planning was identified as a need throughout the LTCR Plan process. This project will enhance and strengthen the County Evacuation Plan by incorporating elements pertaining to special needs populations and animals. Special needs populations should be reviewed specific to Ocean County; they will include elderly, people without access to vehicles, non-native English speakers, people with physical limitations, and other groups that needed additional assistance during the Superstorm Sandy evacuation. Revisions to the evacuation plan will address issues that were challenges during the Sandy response including fuel management and access, re-entry plans, and public information. Description of Recovery Value This project is rated as having a high recovery value. The project fills a disasterrelated community need, has broad-based support, and addresses the recovery vision, especially since this will increase the county s ability to protect people. Evacuation is a critical component for public safety for hurricanes and for other hazards present in Ocean County. Safe evacuation and compliance with evacuation orders saves lives. This project is also feasible and can be fairly lowcost. Action Steps Step 1: Review the current evacuation plan. Step 2: Incorporate lessons learned from Ocean County After Action Report (AAR). Step 3: Drill revised plan. Recovery Value: Step 4: Distribute and train to new plan. Potential Resources Municipal offices of emergency management - Technical US Department of Homeland Security - Funding US Department of Health and Social Services Social Services Emergency Fund - Funding Recovery Areas Supported: FEMA Pre-disaster Mitigation Program - Funding US Department of Labor, Dislocated Workers Assistance - Funding American Red Cross - Technical 34 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

35 Improve County Shelter Management Plan Project Description Improving and strengthening the County Shelter Management Plan addresses a gap identified by stakeholders in ensuring Ocean County has a comprehensive Shelter Management Plan, especially one that addresses long-term sheltering needs for large-scale disaster events. This project seeks to improve the current sheltering plan by incorporating elements of the LTCR plan, hazard mitigation plan, and considerations for pets and special needs populations into the plan. The improved plan will devise strategies for sheltering mixed groups of people safely in the spaces available and will also develop long-term sheltering plans. These long-term sheltering plans are essential for larger impact events when the typical shelters, especially public school buildings, must revert back to their primary purpose before the disaster has abated. The plan must also identify other facilities that may be utilized both short-term and long-term to provide shelter besides public schools. Finally, this improved plan will determine any improvements necessary for existing shelters such as procuring generators. Generator acquisition and other activities that strengthen and harden shelters such as safe rooms or floodproofing will be coordinated through FEMA s HMGP program. Description of Recovery Value This project is rated as having moderate recovery value. Improving Ocean County s Shelter Management Plan scores high in community needs criteria and directly addresses an identified post-disaster need that came out of the Ocean County After Action Report. This project is also expected to reduce future losses. The project does not directly address issues of sustainability, but it is highly feasible and has a moderate cost associated with it. Project Location: Countywide Project Champion(s): Ocean County Health Department; Municipal Governments and School Districts; Ocean County - County Animal Response Team; American Red Cross Cost Estimate: $40,000 to $100,000, dependent on scope for a combination of a consultant and/or staff time Action Steps Step 1: Review the existing Shelter Management Plan and issues identified in Superstorm Sandy After Action Report. Step 2: Identify additional shelter locations to equip and incorporate in the plan. Recovery Value: Step 3: Conduct Shelter Surveys for newly identified facilities. Step 4: Incorporate considerations for special needs populations and animals into the planning. Step 5: Coordinate training and recruitment of volunteers for shelters, including on site staff that works at site daily. Potential Resources Recovery Areas Supported: Georgian Court University with technical assistance Department of Homeland Security - Funding CDBG-DR - Homeowner/Rental Assistance Programs - Funding American Red Cross - Technical Dodge Foundation - Funding FEMA HMGP - Funding (generators) RECOVERY STRATEGY 35

36 Protect and Restore Shorelines Project Location: Coastal communities in Ocean County Project Description This project combines efforts to protect and restore shorelines in the County on a long-term timeline through the following: Develop Bay and Riverfront Wave Energy Dissipation structures to prevent flooding and erosion along coasts, especially the use of natural shoreline or hybrid (gray and green) shoreline mitigation projects. Project Champion(s): Barnegat Bay Partnership; American Littoral Society, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve Implement Living Shorelines projects. The benefits of living shorelines include stabilization and erosion prevention/reduction, riparian and intertidal environment protection, water quality improvement, and habitat creation. Restore oyster and shellfish populations. Typically these activities are combined with significant education and outreach efforts to bring awareness to water quality and environmental preservation. Description of Recovery Value Cost Estimate: $62 Million This project has a high recovery value. The protection and restoration of shorelines scores high in all three evaluation criteria categories. It has broadbased community support and directly addresses the community recovery vision of a sustainable community that protects and enhances natural resources. This project, which is a conglomerate of several projects, also serves to reduce or avert future losses from hurricanes and flooding, and while costly, is feasible. Action Steps Step 1: Collect and catalogue existing energy dissipation devices. Identify testing locations and implement program. Recovery Value: Step 2: Identify locations suitable for living shorelines (i.e. low energy without intense boat traffic). Step 3: Secure planning financing. Step 4: Prepare and obtain permits. Step 5: Secure construction financing. Step 6: Plot marinas, local channels, and high use locations. Recovery Areas Supported: Step 7: Develop a plan to shift channels away from vulnerable shorelines, or establish no-wake zones. Step 8: Collaborate with ReClam the Bay for appropriate testing locations for placing clams Step 9: Develop financing plan. Step 10: Place and monitor populations. 36 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

37 Protect and Restore Shorelines (Continued) Potential Resources CDBG-DR Funding USDA NRCS Funding EPA Section 319 Funding USACE, Beach Replenishment/Dune Restoration Funding NJDEP (Mitigation Banking, In-lieu fee payment, Barnegat Bay 10 Point Plan) Funding USFWS, Refuge Shoreline Restoration Funding ACEC Environmental Committee Volunteer and Technical Barnegat Bay Partnership - Volunteer and Technical Rutgers Cooperative Extension Barnegat Bay Shellfish Restoration Program (BBSRP) Volunteer and Technical American Littoral Society - Technical FHWA-DB Technical ReClam the Bay Technical RECOVERY STRATEGY 37

38 Develop a Risk-Preparedness Marketing Campaign Project Location: Countywide Project Champion(s): Ocean County Planning, Public Affairs, and Chambers of Commerce with assistance from the Office of Emergency Management Cost Estimate: Staff support of campaign could range in scope from $13,000 to $52,000 annually, based on resource availability. The cost for printed materials, mailing, and advertisement placement has a large range. Press releases and existing materials from partner agencies could be free and large scale printing and/or advertisement placement would cost thousands of dollars. Recovery Value: Project Description Superstorm Sandy brought Ocean County s flooding risks into sharp focus, but it is not the only risk faced in the county. The Risk Preparedness Marketing Campaign will build upon the County Hazard Mitigation Plan s Risk Assessment and materials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Hurricane Center, and FEMA to educate residents and businesses using an all-hazard approach. This campaign will use both local media, direct mailings, social media, and marketing to initiate a countywide conversation about risks, preparedness, evacuation, insurance, and other related topics, potentially building on the America s PrepareAthon Campaign and Ready.gov s Today is the Day Before effort at the national level. Some examples of outreach activities in this campaign could include: risk preparedness pamphlets for seasonal rental properties, outreach at community events and local schools, and working with the New Jersey Division of Taxation on a Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday to encourage the timely purchase of preparedness materials. From helping people know their flood zone to educating children on preparedness, this campaign will coordinate with local emergency services professionals and first responders to elevate overall awareness of risk and bring about a more prepared, resilient community. Description of Recovery Value The Risk Preparedness Campaign is rated as having high recovery value. The project fills the need to clearly and frequently communicate the risks of both natural and human-made disasters and encourage preparedness. The idea is that this campaign can be flexible enough to address existing, new, and evolving threats and will take the approach of bringing preparedness to the people, rather than having people opt-in to receiving information on risk, preparedness, evacuation, and insurance. This project could also qualify for Community Rating System (CRS) credits under Activity 330: Outreach Projects up to 350 points. This risk campaign could qualify under outreach projects to the entire community, additional outreach projects, and outreach projects pursuant to a public information program strategy. In the long run, this project will help avert future losses and keep people safer. Action Steps Step 1: Select and convene a Marketing Team. Step 2: Identify existing outreach efforts and define needs or gaps. Recovery Areas Supported: Step 3: Identify applicable education and outreach outlets and partners. Step 4: Select and prioritize areas of preparedness focus. 38 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan Step 5: Solicit existing preparedness materials form FEMA and state Office of Emergency Management. Step 5: Assign campaign duties and with corresponding milestones. Potential Resources FEMA Community Education and Outreach Section Technical, Political and Administrative FEMA Corps Technical, Volunteer FEMA Emergency Management Performance Grants Funding

39 Develop Countywide Tools to Support CRS Participation Project Description The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary program that provides reductions on flood insurance premiums of up to 45% for participating municipalities who go beyond minimum floodplain management requirements and provide extra protection from flooding. The CRS process is very involved, though, making it challenging for some municipalities to participate. In an effort to maximize municipal participation and the associated flood insurance premium discounts, the County will develop tools to assist with CRS program implementation. These tools will provide guidance for municipalities to begin participation in the CRS program and advice on how to increase the level of participation to further decrease premiums. Tools will focus on providing examples and best practices in each of the four CRS activity-classes: public information, mapping and regulations, flood damage reduction, and flood preparedness. The County will identify CRS credits that municipalities can receive by participating in the HMP and LTCR planning processes. Project Location: Countywide Project Champion(s): Ocean County Department of Planning; Ocean County Office of Emergency Management Description of Recovery Value Countywide tools to support CRS participation will have a moderate recovery value. This is a project with wide-ranging community support, and it supports all aspects of the community recovery vision. Developing CRS tools for municipal use will increase the community planning capability of participating municipalities and will have real financial benefits for residents in floodprone communities. Action Steps Cost Estimate: Staff time Step 1: Identify applicable activities that are already taking place. Step 2: Identify CRS activities that would benefit from county support tools. Step 3: Host joint CRS user groups with municipalities and interested parties in Monmouth and Ocean Counties to learn their lessons from the CRS application process. Recovery Value: Step 4: Set up staffing to maintain support for municipal level participation from county. Step 5: Continue to maintain and improve participation through regular reporting. Potential Resources FEMA Region II CRS Coordinator Technical Getting to Resilience Program - Technical, Volunteer Recovery Areas Supported: Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve - Technical, Volunteer Monmouth County Planning Department - Technical 2. RECOVERY STRATEGY 39

40 Develop an All-County Advertising Campaign Project Location: Countywide Project Champion(s): Ocean County Department of Business Development and Tourism; Ocean County Chambers of Commerce Cost Estimate: $10,000 startup plus $50,000 annually Project Description From arts and entertainment to amusement parks to sports, Ocean County is truly more than the shore. Tourism does not just happen, though. It takes advertising, public relations, and special events to bring in tourists, and requires a comprehensive approach. This advertising campaign will build on the new Ocean County Tourism website to promote Ocean County as a destination community both at the coast and in inland communities. The key to this campaign is to expand current efforts to include inland and year-round attractions and encourage municipalities, business associations, and chambers of commerce to create marketing materials and strategies to sell their attractions to visitors. The campaign will look beyond ocean-based activities and support tourism at Ocean County s parks, recreation areas, historic sites, theaters, and art galleries, focusing on regional advertising in Philadelphia, Trenton, and New York. Description of Recovery Value This advertising campaign is expected to have a moderate recovery value. While tourism is an essential part of Ocean County s economy and supporting it will bring in much-needed revenue, the project will not correct the physical damages from Sandy, nor will it necessarily promote a more sustainable, resilient future. However, the project directly supports the recovery vision of a year-round community, is financially feasible and has had a head start through the Department of Business Development and Tourism s efforts. Action Steps Step 1: Evaluate existing tourism campaigns for best practices. Recovery Value: Step 2: Develop comprehensive, cohesive regional advertising campaign that highlights different aspects of Ocean County attractions under a unified theme. Step 3: Identify tourism marketing partners and disseminate materials. Step 4: Monitor website statistics and gather feedback at the end of high season to improve for future years. Potential Resources Ocean County Tourism Advisory Council Matching Program Grants Funding Recovery Areas Supported: Ocean County Department of Business Development and Tourism Technical Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

41 Develop Water Taxi or Ferry System Project Description Water taxis and ferries are an important component of transportation systems in port cities and maritime communities worldwide, both for commuter services and tourism. This project began as an idea in the HUD Rebuild by Design competition, which was an effort to create innovative solutions to protect US cities vulnerable to extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy. This idea came from the Sasaki/Rutgers/Arup Rebuild by Design submission, but it gained traction in Ocean County as an additional transportation option to move people across Barnegat Bay. Exact vessel, route, and service options must be studied to optimize operations, but the idea is to move large numbers of people at a time across the Bay rather than across the limited number of already-clogged bridges in single-passenger vehicles. A typical mid-sized diesel ferry can hold approximately 50 people and can convey residents to jobs on the barrier island, tourists to the beach, and, when a mandatory evacuation is called, can assist in mass evacuations. It is also considered a sustainable transit option, and dieselelectric hybrid boats are available. However, this kind of a transportation project is highly dependent on feasibility studies and available funds; it must first be studied to ensure it is a viable transportation alternative. Description of Recovery Value This project has a moderate recovery value. It will alleviate some of the evacuationrelated issues seen during Superstorm Sandy and provides an additional transportation option for traditionally disadvantaged populations, especially zero-car households and those with physical limitations. It also enhances Ocean County s vision of being a destination community and fits with the iconic vision of the shore. The ferry terminals may also spur private development near selected terminals. However, this project would require a significant infrastructure investment and is a long-term transportation investment that typically requires a public-private partnership for funding and implementation support. Action Steps Step 1: Conduct a planning and feasibility study to determine optimal operations, routes, fares, terminals, and vessel types. Project Location: Barnegat Bay and bordering communities Project Champion(s): Ocean County Department of Planning; Southern Ocean County Chamber of Commerce Cost Estimate: $75,000 for Planning/feasibility studies; $1,000,000 in capital costs (vessels and terminals) and $500,000 in annual operating costs Recovery Value: Step 2: If feasible, develop a detailed operations plan and conduct environmental impact studies as needed. Step 3: Apply for Federal Transit Administration and other funding. Step 4: Develop solicitation, bid, and select an operator. Potential Resources Recovery Areas Supported: Federal Transit Administration Funding and Technical NJ Department of Transportation Division of Freight, Air and Water - Technical RECOVERY STRATEGY 41

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43 Section Five Regional Connections, Implementation & Next Steps

44 5. Regional Connections, Implementation, & Next Steps 5.1 Funding the Recovery Strategy A plethora of grant programs from federal, state, local, non-profit, and advocacy agencies may be pursued to fund the proposed projects for the Ocean County LTCR plan. The project sheets in the previous section of the plan list potential funding sources for each individual project. However, Table 3 lists the same funding sources and identifies the corresponding recovery support functions each addresses. Table 3: Recovery Funding Opportunities Recovery Support Functions EPA Brownfields Non-Point Pollution Water / Wastewater Barnegat Bay Partnership Watershed / Wetlands FHWA Local Aid Financing Federal Aid Highway Community and System Preservation Health and Human Services Rent Subsidy HUD Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Homeowner Assistance Programs RREM LMI Homeowners Rebuilding Blue Acres Buyout Program Housing Resettlement Rental Housing Fund for Restoration of Multi-Family Housing/ Small Rental Neighborhood Enhancement Sandy Special Needs Housing Fund Economic Development Tourism Marketing Grants /Direct Loans Small Business Infrastructure Programs Flood Hazard Risk Reduction New Jersey Energy Resilience Bank Non-Federal Cost Shares (Match) Support for Local Government Entities Essential Public Services Unsafe Structures Demolition Program Zoning/Code Enforcement Planning, Oversight, and Monitoring 44 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

45 Table 3: Recovery Funding Opportunities Recovery Support Functions FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Flood Mitigation Assistance Program Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Public Assistance Program FIP Flood Insurance claims Pre-disaster mitigation Community Rating Program NJ BPU Clean Energy/ Resilience NJ Department of Transportation NJ Economic Development Authority (EDA) Stronger NJ Community Program Streetscape Revitalization NJ Fuel Station Resiliency Business Loan Programs Bonding program Clean Energy NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust Long Term Sandy Loan Program Water supply Waste water Stormwater, Green Projects Open space Brownfields, Landfill / Redevelopment NJ Transit NJTPA Community Planning Local infrastructure grants Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund Highway / Bridges Public Works USDA Conservation Stewardship Wildlife/ Habitat Restoration Emergency Watershed Protection US Department of Labor Dislocated Workers Assistance US Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Program Water Resource Development Act of 2013 Oceans Endowment LOOKING AHEAD 45

46 Table 3: Recovery Funding Opportunities Recovery Support Functions Beach / Dunes/ Beneficial Reuse Harbor Maintenance Navigation Mitigation Planning and Studies Non-Profit Community American Red Cross Emergency Response Long Term Recovery Planning Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton Children's Home Society of New Jersey Church of the Brethren Disaster Ministries Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Samaritan s Purse Port Light Strategies Children s Home Society of NJ Care Giver Volunteers of Central NJ Environment NJ Affordable Housing Alliance: Home Goods Replacement Assistance Rebuild Our Shore Hurricane Sandy New Jersey Relief Fund ArtHelps Surfrider Foundation American Littoral Society Ocean County Green Acres Trust 46 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

47 5.2 Additional Resources for Recovery Ocean County s recovery will include more than funding. Becoming a year-round community that is environmentally, economically, socially, and culturally stronger includes the participation of the whole community. This means residents, business, non-profit organizations, universities, faith-based organizations are all resources for recovery. Initiatives together and individually will build recovery. Technical assistance will be a key component of recovery. The full-time mission of organizations and agencies is a natural complement and resource for projects in this plan. Technical assistance resources include the following: Organizations including the Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group, Barnegat Bay Partnership and Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve Lessons learned from other communities that have experienced similar disasters Collaboration with nearby counties to share lessons learned or to coordinate joint projects or efforts State agency coordination and resources to link local communities to technical assistance FEMA s Emergency Support Function #14 Long-Term Community Recovery 5.3 Engagement of Traditionally Under- Represented Communities The Ocean County LTCR Plan began with an assessment of the baseline economic, social, demographic, and housing situation in Ocean County, led by FEMA s long-term recovery assessment tool. This tool helped the project team frame the plan around long-standing issues in Ocean County that post-sandy recovery provided an opportunity to address and, hopefully, remedy. In addition to US Census data looking at housing, people, and the economy, the LTCR Plan employed community profile data compiled for TNJ s Fair Housing and Equity Assessment. This data sharpened the recovery needs conversation around those most likely to need help recovering from Superstorm Sandy in Ocean County. As discussed in Section 1.2, these Communities of Concern/traditionally underrepresented communities concentrated in Ocean County revolved around three of the six key groups: persons living in poverty, the elderly, and those without access to a vehicle. The Public Involvement Plan for the LTCR Plan focused on a stakeholder-based approach to gathering information and feedback on the LTCR vision, projects, and plan in order to help build active partnerships and broad-based consensus around the ideas of long-term community recovery. Residents and members of the public were welcome at all meetings and visioning sessions, but, for the most part, the participants in the planning process represented stakeholder groups rather than individual interests. The Steering Committee made every effort to invite and engage organizations representing all six recovery support functions. There was heavy participation from stakeholders active in affordable housing and LOOKING AHEAD 47

48 anti-poverty, including the Lodge, Ocean Inc, Solutions to End Poverty Soon, Beat the Streets Ministries, and Homelessness Ended through Local Partners; these groups provided valuable feedback on critical issues relating to rental housing, subsidized housing, and homelessness, and encouraged the development of a recovery vision that includes all people. Ocean County Senior Services and the United Way contributed valuable advice on how to help senior citizens recover given fixed incomes and physical mobility limitations. 5.4 Long-Term Community Recovery in the Together North Jersey Regional Context The Ocean County LTCR Plan strategy supports Region Plan for Sustainable Development (RSPD) by addressing and promoting affordable housing, transportation investment, water infrastructure, economic development, land use planning, environmental conservation, efficient energy systems, and infrastructure resilience. The plan identifies baseline conditions that act as barriers to sustainable development and proposes projects, plans, and programs that will bring about not only a more sustainable but also a more resilient Ocean County. The LTCR Plan is a regional push to advance the vision of building a sustainable year-round community that is environmentally, economically, socially, and culturally stronger, bringing together Ocean County s 33 municipalities with representatives from the state and federal government and both local and regional non-profits and stakeholders. In addition, the planning process itself supports RPSD by taking a consensus-based and partnership driven approach to long-term community recovery. Recovery principles established as part of the LTCR Plan will serve as a model for the TNJ Region and the State of New Jersey. The LTCR strategy comprises 15 recommendations that include projects, strategies, plans, studies, and programs/policies to be implemented in Ocean County as part of the recovery effort. Each recommendation and corresponding RPSD context is shown in the table below. Recommendations are applicable to city, suburban, and rural place-types and often encompass all three, as many efforts will provide a countywide benefit. All of these recommendations are considered transferable, meaning they can be duplicated across the region. There are three primary categories, or RPSD topics associated with RPSD: Livability and the Environment (LE) Economic Competitiveness and Workforce Development (ECWD) Society and Community (SC) Each primary topic includes three or more sub-topics which more specifically identify the associated RSPD. LTCR recommendations cover a wide-range of RPSD Topics with a focus on Health & Safety and Housing, as seen in Table Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

49 Table 4: Recommendations in the RPSD Context Recommendation Compile Countywide Infrastructure Assessment Report Applicable Placetypes Larger Cities Smaller Cities and Older Suburbs Traditional Town Centers Is Recommendation Transferrable to Other Communities? Yes Regional Planning for Sustainable Development Topics Addressed Livability and the Environment Water Resources Energy & Climate Economic Competitiveness and Workforce Development Asset-Based Economic Development Industry Sector Development Society and Community Health & Safety Develop Grant Advisor Program Improve Resiliency of Residential Structures for All Income Groups Improve County Evacuation Plan Improve County Shelter Management Plan Protect and Restore Shorelines Develop A Risk- Preparedness Marketing Campaign All Yes All Larger Cities Smaller Cities and Older Suburbs Traditional Town Centers Yes Livability and the Environment Housing Society and Community Health & Safety All Yes Society and Community Health & Safety Larger Cities Smaller Cities and Older Suburbs Traditional Town Centers Rural* Yes Yes (in coastal communities) Livability and the Environment Housing Society and Community Health & Safety Livability and the Environment Natural Lands Water Resources Land Use & Urban Design Society and Community Health & Safety All Yes Society and Community Health & Safety Develop Countywide Tools to Support CRS Participation All Yes Livability and the Environment Housing Society and Community Health & Safety Develop an All-County Advertising Campaign Develop Water Taxi or Ferry System All Larger Cities Smaller Cities and Older Suburbs Traditional Town Centers Yes Yes (in coastal communities) *Rural represents areas identified as forest, shoreline, or grassland. Economic Competitiveness and Workforce Development Asset-Based Economic Development Industry Sector Development Business Environment & Entrepreneurial Support Economic Competitiveness and Workforce Development Industry Sector Development Livability and the Environment Transportation LOOKING AHEAD 49

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51 Section Six Appendices

52 6. Appendices 6.1 References Blake, Eric, Todd Kimberlain, Robert Berg, John Cangialosi, and John Beven II. National Hurricane Center. 12 February Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Sandy. Accessed online at: Federal Emergency Management Agency Recovery Support Functions. Accessed online at: Federal Emergency Management Agency. 8 October Cost Effectiveness Determinations for Acquisitions and Elevations in Special Flood Hazard Areas Using Pre-Calculated Benefits. Accessed online at: grants/documents/memo-precalculatedbenefitsfema pdf. Federal Emergency Management Agency Long-Term Community Recovery Toolbox. New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. February Central Regional Community Fact Book: Ocean County Edition. Accessed online at: New Jersey Department of State, Division of Community Affairs. September Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Action Plan for Superstorm Sandy. Accessed online at: pdf/cdbg-disasterrecoveryactionplan.pdf. Ocean County Office of Emergency Management. May Ocean County All- Hazard Mitigation Plan. Together North Jersey. 10 November Regional Fair Housing and Equity Assessment. Accessed online at: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Unemployment in the United States. Visualized using Google s Public Data Viewer at: unemployment.htm. US Census Bureau American Community Survey, Year Estimates, Table DP05; generated by Christine Caggiano; using American FactFinder; < (1 May 2014). US Census Bureau OnTheMap Analysis: Ocean County, NJ; generated by Christine Caggianol < (20 May 2014). US Department of Labor Industries at a Glance: Industry by Supersector and NAICS Code. Accessed online at: naics.htm. Zillow Real Estate Network Ocean County Home Prices and Values. Accessed online at: 52 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

53 6.2 Recovery Project Evaluation Criteria The project team evaluated each recovery project to determine the Recovery Value. Table 5 illustrates the criteria used to evaluate the LTCR projects and develop the recovery value for each project. Table 5: Recovery Project Evaluation Matrix Project Name EVALUATION CRITERIA: Does the project.. MEETS CRITERIA (Y/N)? 1. COMMUNITY NEEDS 2. SUSTAINABILITY 3. FEASIBILITY Fill an identified post-disaster community need? Focus on overall recovery of the whole community? Have broad-based community support? Address the community recovery vision? Address at least half of the recovery areas? Enhance the long-term quality of life for residents and/or the quality of experience for visitors? Correct physical damages from Superstorm Sandy? Reduce or avert future losses? Encourage private investment? Have access to the necessary financial resources? Have a champion with the capacity to implement the project? Provide leverage under other federal, state, or local programs? TOTAL SCORE: NUMBER OF YES ANSWERS TOTAL COMMUNITY NEED SCORE: NUMBER OF YES ANSWERS IN SECTION 1 Does the project have a total score of 8 or more AND a community needs score of 3 or more? Does the project have a total score of 5-7 AND a community needs score of 3 or more? Does the project have a total score of 4 or less AND a community needs score of 3 or more? RECOVERY VALUE DETERMINATION YES High Recovery Value Project YES Moderate Recovery Value Project YES Low Recovery Value Project NO Community Interest Project NO Community Interest Project NO Community Interest Project APPENDICES 53

54 6.3 Local Government Capacity Grant Review Tool This plan, along with other Local Government Capacity Grant (LGCG) Program efforts through Together North Jersey, was funded by a combination of dollars from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the US Department of Transportation, administered via NJTPA and Rutgers. To simplify and facilitate these agency reviews of the Ocean County LTCR Plan, the project team developed a short review tool (Table 6) to summarize and demonstrate how and where the plan addresses the general and specific programmatic requirements of the LGCG Final Report Guidance. Table 6: Local Government Capacity Grant Review Tool Element General Requirements Types of Recommendations included in plan Recommendation Factors: What organization/entity is responsible? What types of funding would be needed and what organization(s) could provide funding? Element What resources are currently available to support next steps? Which recommendations are opportunities for partnership and which partners are best matched? Location in Document How Element is Addressed Section 4.2 The LTCR Plan includes a recovery strategy of 15 projects and programs, each of which is detailed on a project sheet in Section 4 Section 4.2 Section 4.2 Section 5.1 Location in Document Section 4.2 Section 5.2 Section 4.2 Section 5.2 Each project in the recovery strategy (Section 4.2) lists a Project Champion who is ultimately responsible for advancing the project. Each project in the recovery strategy (Section 4.2) lists Cost Estimates and Potential Resources to identify the amount of money, types of funding, and funding organizations for each project. Section 5.1 provides an overall summary of funding available for long-term recovery efforts across the six recovery support functions. How Element is Addressed Each project in the recovery strategy (Section 4.2) lists Potential Resources falling into one or more of the following categories: technical, volunteer, and funding. This was done to illustrate the variety of types of assistance available for each project. Section 5.2 discusses additional resources available for overall LTCR needs. Each project in the recovery strategy (Section 4.2) lists Potential Resources falling into one or more of the following categories: technical, volunteer, and funding. In particular, the technical assistance resources are likely partners for each project.. Section 5.2 discusses additional resources available for overall LTCR needs, including likely partner organizations. 54 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

55 Specific Requirements Inclusion and engagement of traditionally under-represented communities Element Section II Section 2.2 Section 5.3 Location in Document Section II lists all participants in the LTCR process, many of whom are organizations that advance the interests of traditionally under-represented communities, especially the elderly and those living in poverty. Section 2.2 details the overall LTCR planning process and how the aforementioned organizations participated and provided feedback at meetings. Section 5.3 summarizes of how under-represented communities participated in the LTCR Plan. How Element is Addressed Consideration and inclusion of data about traditionally underrepresented communities Section 1.2 Section 5.3 Recommendations and the regional context: How does the study and Section 5.4 recommendations support regional planning? In which place-type(s) is the recommendation applicable? Are there any lessons learned from the study findings or processes that can be used in future programs, policies, and planning efforts? Can this effort be duplicated across the region? Under which of the RPSD topic(s) does each recommendation fall? Section 5.4 N/A Section 5.4 Section 5.4 Section 1.2 uses and maps the Regional Fair Housing Equity Investment in order to help explain the geography and type of Communities of Concern present in Ocean County. Section 5.3 summarizes how the Communities of Concern data and the demographic analysis helped refine the recovery vision and drove the identification of LTCR projects. Section 5.4 discusses how the study and its recommendations support regional planning, with an emphasis on the role of sustainability and in county-wide planning in the context of the LTCR Plan. Section 5.4 includes a table that identifies the place-type(s) each recommendation could feasibly be implemented. The project team has not identified any lessons learned from the study finding and planning process that could be applicable to other LGCG Program efforts. Section 5.4 includes a table that identifies the transferability of each recommendation. Section 5.4 includes a table that identifies the RPSD topics that each recommendation falls under. APPENDICES 55

56 6.4 LTCR Planning Process Participants The Ocean County LTCR Plan gathered input from a wide variety of stakeholders across the county. The following individuals attended LTCR Plan meetings, provided feedback, reviewed drafts of the plan, and contributed their ideas for a more resilient Ocean County: Helen Henderson, American Littoral Society Martha Maxwell Doyle, Barnegat Bay Partnership Paul Hulse, Beat the Streets Ministry Alan Dittenhofer, Berkeley Township (Remington, Vernick & Vena Engineers) Fred Bekarian, Berkeley Township Waterways Commission Lee Gashlin, Berkeley Township Waterways Commission Elissa Commins, Brick Township Michelle Eventoff, Brick Township Mike Fowler, Brick Township Nils Berquist, Brick Township Kurt Otto, CME Associates (Stafford Township) Jody Alessandrine, Downtown Toms River Art Goetz, FEMA Craig Marshall, FEMA Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination Paul Perillo, FEMA Federal Disaster Recovery Coordination Mark Bianchi, Georgian Court University Carol Ollwerther, Georgian Court University Tom Preiser, Harvey Cedars Borough Frank Bruton, Hatch Mott MacDonald (Mantoloking Borough) Robert Mainberger, Hatch Mott MacDonald Clarence Gray, HELP (Ocean County CART) Sandy Gray, HELP (Ocean County CART) Pam Quatse, Homelessness Ended Through Local Partners Douglas A. Platt, Island Heights Borough Daniel Burke, Jackson Township Ken Byrnes, Jackson Township Frederick Fritz, Jackson Township Office of Emergency Management Barry G. Olejarz, Jackson Township Lisa Auermuller, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve Veronica Laureigh, Lacey Township John Curtin, Lacey Township Community Development Danny Barker, Lakehurst Borough Bernadette Dugan, Lakehurst Borough Kenny Dix, Lakewood Township Steve Reinman, Lakewood Township Christopher Parlow, Lavallette Borough Michael Fromosky, Little Egg Harbor Township Bob Debrauerwat, The Lodge Rosemary Goebel, The Lodge 56 Ocean County Long-Term Recovery Plan

57 Arthur Abline, Manchester Township Robert McIntyre, Mantoloking Borough Chris A. Theodos, Maser Consulting Russell Hendrickson, New Jersey Department of Human Services/ Office of Emergency Management Karl Hartkopf, New Jersey Department of State Office of Planning Advocacy Dan Kennedy, New Jersey Department of State Office of Planning Advocacy Kate Raman, New Jersey Department of State Office of Planning Advocacy Leah Yasenchak, NJ Future Marney Kimmel, NJ Resiliency Eve Chamberlain, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, Inc. Allan Fye, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, Inc. Kelsay Mauro, Ocean County Health Department Flo Egan, Ocean, Inc. Ted Gooding, Ocean, Inc. Victoria Landaverde, Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group (Toms River Township) Sue Marticek, Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group Cindy Nylen, Ocean County Long Term Recovery Group (Toms River Township) Tim Hart, Ocean County, CTH Stephen Brennan, Ocean County Office of Emergency Management, EMS Coordination Robert Butkus, Ocean County Office of Emergency Management Anthony Giardina, Ocean County Office of Emergency Management John Kirwin, Ocean County Office of Emergency Management Anthony Agliata, Ocean County Planning Department Christine Bell, Ocean County Planning Department Scott M. Cadigan, Ocean County Planning Department David McKeon, Ocean County Planning Department Steve Simone, Ocean County Planning Department Jane Maloney, Ocean County Senior Services Will Demand, Ocean County Utilities Authority Keith Marcoon, Ocean County Utilities Authority Bill Welch, Ocean County Utilities Authority Diane Ambrosio, Ocean Township and Barnegat Township Alisson Iannaccone, Owen & Little Associates (Eagleswood Twp., Tuckerton Boro., Beach Haven Boro., Barnegat Light Boro., Surf City Boro., Ship Bottom Boro., Harvey Cedars Boro., and Long Beach Twp.) Jason Simmons, Passaic County Planning Department (formerly Ocean County Planning) Chris Dempsey, Point Pleasant Beach Borough Office of Emergency Management Rebuild by Design Jon Thompson, Recovery Sandy Resident Felipe S. Contreras, Remington, Vernick & Vena Engineers (Seaside Park Borough) Kate Taylor, Remington, Vernick & Vena Engineers (Berkeley Township; Seaside Park Borough; Point Pleasant Borough; Ocean Gate Borough; and Little Egg Harbor, Lacey Township, and Jackson Township Municipal Utility Authorities) David Aimen, Rutgers University William Hibell, Seaside Heights Borough Tony Vaz, Seaside Heights Borough Robert W. Matthies, Seaside Park Borough Joe Valyo, Ship Bottom Borough William Gleason, South Toms River Borough Bonnie Flynn, Stafford Township Adele Hahn, Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, Inc. Connie Pascale, STEPS/HELP Peter Hartney, Surf City Borough Lauren Skowronski, Sustainable Jersey s Resiliency Network Wendy A. Birkhead, PE, Toms River Township Robert J. Chankalian, PE, Toms River Township Jack Lynch, Toms River Township Tom Rodgers, Toms River Township Erika Stahl, Toms River Township Charles Cunliffe, T&M Associates Harold E. Spedding, Tuckerton Borough Linda Gyimoty, United Way Ocean County APPENDICES 57

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59 This project is funded by Together North Jersey, an initiative funded in part through a Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and through a grant from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, which is allocating U.S. Department of Transportation funding. Together North Jersey is a collaborative partnership dedicated to strengthening the region s economy and improving access to good jobs, quality schools, safe and stable neighborhoods, a healthy environment, fresh food, and civic and cultural resources. The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is the administrative and fiscal agent for Together North Jersey. For more information on Together North Jersey, please visit or contact Miriam Salerno at miriam.salerno@ejb.rutgers.edu.